Thursday's Daily Pulse

What you need to know about Florida today

| 7/24/2014

Economy, though sluggish, may now be sturdier

Out of a seemingly hollow recovery from the Great Recession, a more durable if still slow-growing U.S. economy has emerged. That conclusion, one held by a growing number of economists, might surprise many people. [Source: AP]

Florida's job growth is steadily improving according to a new report. The report from Florida TaxWatch analyzes job growth data and shows higher job creation numbers for Florida than in the previous year, indicating a healthier state economy. "More Floridians are working in 2014 than ever before," said Dominic M. Calabro, President and CEO of Florida TaxWatch. Full report is here.

Florida city heads list of best cities for job growth

Florida has crawled back from the depths of the recession and the employment outlook is bright, particularly for the retirement enclaves in the southern part of the state. Leading the way is Naples, which is expected to have the fastest job growth rate among the 200 largest metro areas. Read the full story from Forbes and see a graphic of the Best And Worst Cities For Jobs 2014

Floridians to get $42 million in health insurance refunds

More than 981,000 Floridians will get an average refund of $65 from their health insurers this summer because of the Affordable Care Act, federal officials announced today. Nationwide, consumers are due about $332 million in refunds, a figure that covers both the individual and group markets. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Growth outlook positive for Florida’s middle-market companies

Most middle market companies in Florida are expecting both revenue and employee growth, according to a survey by the National Center for Middle Market. [Source: South Florida Business Journal]

› Apps, services give lowdown on dirty dining[Central Florida Future] Ever wondered which restaurants are home to delicious eats and which ones are home to not-so-delicious health inspection violations? Well, there’s an app for that.